04/19/2007, 1936 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 020eg 56'N 130deg 37'W
Early this morning I found some wind, not much but enough to move the boat. After 2.8 days of almost non-stop motoring, 6 kts of wind from the east was most welcome although boat speed is less than 4 kts. I hope it keeps up. Fuel consumption has been less than expected because of low operating speed and a very favorable "South Equatorial Current" pushing west. If necessary, I could motor for another 2 days.
Last evening on the radio I spoke to a man from Pitcairn Island, the famous settlement of the Bounty mutineers. I declined to discuss his lineage. He told me that I was exactly due north of him and that he could see my lights. I grabbed my binocs and sure enough there it was, 1500 miles due south, a high craggy rock, just like I remember reading about when I was 12.
My daily distance is 111 mi. for and average speed of 4.6 kts. All is well onboard and I hope to "cross the line" (equator) before sunrise tomorrow.
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Comments [3]
04/18/2007, 1825 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 02deg 31'N 129deg 46'W
There is not much wind, maybe 5 kts or 10 kts after a squall passes. Even then it lasts less than an hour. I have been motoring all but 3 of the past 24 hrs. There is enough diesel for another 46 hrs or about 200 mi. I hope that gets me out of the doldrums. If not, Sand Dollar will bob like a cork until the wind comes.
Under the best of circumstances I could be in Hiva Oa, Marquesas by April 26. More likely it will be the 28th. What's the hurry?
My noon-to-noon distance for today is 109 miles for an average speed of 4.5 kts. The water temperature is 83 while the cabin air is 84. The relative humidity is 80%. The boat motion is very comfortable and I am able to work on some maintenance projects.
I ate my last apple - should have brought more (Granny Smith). There are plenty of limes and lots of cabbage so I am not worried about scurvy.
All else onboard is well.
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04/17/2007, 1717 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 04deg 15'N 129deg 24'W
Progress has slowed considerably. I am now motoring when the wind drops below 7 knots. Every few hours there is a rain squall which washes the boat and gives me a shower. The water temperature is 83 and the air in the cabin is 86. The relative humidity is 79% - very muggy! My noon-to-noon distance for today is 109 mi. at an average speed of 4.5 kts. There is not much to see here in the doldrums, no birds, and no flying fish. I'll be glad when I get through this.
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04/16/2007, 1608 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 05°52'N 128°45'W
The doldrums is an area around the equator characterized by calms, thunderstorms, and variable winds. It is a region to be avoided or transited quickly. This time of year the doldrums lies north of the equator and may be anywhere from 150-600 miles wide. On the north edge of the doldrums is a zone of very unsettled conditions with squalls, torrential rain and thunder. This is where Sand Dollar finds herself today.
The normal strategy for transiting the doldrums consists of arriving at about 5°north 130°west and then heading due south to get through it quickly as possible. Once the southeast trade winds are found a direct course for the Marquesas may be made.
My daily mileage has decreased because of the changing conditions. My distance for today is 140 mi for an average speed of 5.8 kts. The next few days are hard to predict but will be interesting. I anticipate running the engine for a few days.
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04/15/2007, 1468 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 07=B049'N 127=B054'W
Sand Dollar ran 151 miles since this time yesterday making this the best daily run. The wind has been a consistent 20 kts the past 24 hours so I am averaging 6.3 kts. The sky is overcast and I can see squall lines to the southwest The air temperature is 80=B0 and the water is 81=B0. The relative humidity is 77%, quite a change from Mexico. I expect the northeast trades to last for another day or two before I encounter the unsettled weather of the doldrums.
There are two boats 70-100 miles ahead of me, 3 or 4 that are 500 miles ahead and several 800 miles behind. We share weather information on the radio nets and make route decisions accordingly. Each evening I have been reporting to a ham radio net called the Pacific Seafarers who have a website where they post the locations of and weather conditions for those vessels that report. Only those with ham radio licenses can report their position.
The whole ham radio thing has been interesting. The sailors use it for reporting positions, sending messages, obtaining weather reports, ordering spare parts, etc. The "hamsters" use it as a hobby and try to make as many contacts as possible, however brief, all over the world when propagation conditions are good. They are a very friendly and helpful group and, during times of emergency, essential.
All is well onboard, although I am now out of fresh vegetables except the cabbage.
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04/14/2007, 1317 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 09deg 31'N 126deg 05'W
Sand Dollar has not seen rain since leaving the Pacific Northwest 20 months ago. Early this morning we got a nice shower while passing through a small rain squall, just enough to wash the salt off the rigging and deck but not enough to collect any worthwhile quantity. The water supply is in excellent shape. I left Mexico with 75 gallons plus a watermaker and anticipate arriving in the Marquesas with half of that. Still, fresh water conservation at sea is always prudent and any time salt water can be used for a job, all the better. For example, dishwashing, bathing, laundry and general cleaning are usually always done with salt water. When rainwater has been collected, however, I think one can splurge.
During the rain squall there were quite a few birds hunting near the boat. Some, I believe, were storm petrals. They are very acrobatic, like little fighter planes, flying just above the wave tops and touching the water with their wing tips. Perhaps they are looking for flying fish which are trying to get out of the way of the boat.
The trade wind continues to blow and the miles pass. Today's noon-to-noon distance is 147 mi. for an average speed of 6.1 kts, about the same as for the past three days. The air and water are both a comfortable 80 deg. Did I understand correctly that the Mariners were snowed out in Cleveland a couple of days ago? My regrets.
All else is well. I think I will wet a line today.
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